African foreign threats to the U.S.

What i'm looking for are the security threats that countries in the southern portion of Africa pose. We are well aware of the issues going on in
Northern Africa and I feel the Southern portion often gets overlooked.

So if you were tasked with advising the President on the most immediate dangers from countries such as Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Angola,
Zambia.........what would you think?

Is there a common theme running among the nations that poses are particular threat? Issues like terrorism, China's influence, drug trafficking...you
get the idea.

Please try to keep it on topic since it is for research and not just a rant against America thread.

Well personally I'm hoping we aren't having any threats from southern Africa. My husband is going to South Africa soon because of his work and
I'm worried enough about it without thinking about some sort of politically motivated attack.

Originally posted by Spookycolt
What i'm looking for are the security threats that countries in the southern portion of Africa pose. We are well aware of the issues going on in
Northern Africa and I feel the Southern portion often gets overlooked.

So if you were tasked with advising the President on the most immediate dangers from countries such as Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Angola,
Zambia.........what would you think?

Is there a common theme running among the nations that poses are particular threat? Issues like terrorism, China's influence, drug trafficking...you
get the idea.

Please try to keep it on topic since it is for research and not just a rant against America thread.

Thanks

I would advise him to get more people over there training the "right" people whoever that may be. Looks like that is what they told him too.

I would also tell him occupation is not an option, which it would seem they told him that too.

I would tell him to keep the tours short.

I would tell him to keep the wrong people from representing us over there, which has happened in the past.

I would exclude SOUTH AFRICA from this,though.Our military is not what it was during the Border War,but still,i don't ever see that happening here.SA
is far different from most other countries in Africa,in that respect.

I don't know exactly where he's going yet, only that it's a port somewhere on the Cape of Good Hope. He travels all over for his job but this
will be his first trip to South Africa. I'm more worried about his trip to get there than anything else. As far as crime goes it can't be any worse
than some of the places he's been.

I've heard it's beautiful around the cape area so I'm making him bring my camera with him. Thanks for the heads up- I'll make sure he knows to be
extra cautious around the city areas.

I would advise the president to tend to the US first,and fix the problems you have There,on home soil.I get that Afghanistan must be wearing thin
now,and new wars on terror has to be found,more billions has to be made,etc we all get that,resources has to be stolen-but really,i would advise to
just stay out of Africa in general.Is there a sure,absolutely infallible way that your president can keep Africa from being used as a stepping stone
for attacks on the US, from Islamic extremist groups? A real,permanent difference he can make? If so,most reasonable could see the benefit,and at
least Africans will benefit from that also.Not likely though,short of occupying most African countries on a permanent basis.Im very very wary of
American involvement on this continent ,and i don't think you can blame me for that.

Cape Town,the Mother City:-)! Ah he's in for a treat then-CT is wonderful,i grew up there,though i have'nt been able to return for too long
years,due to finances.Wonderful region of our country,one of the finest! Crime is a huge problem here since 1994,but if he takes normal precautions
like keeping valuables out of view,and keeps his situational awareness at all times,he should be just fine.There's a lot of opportunistic crime like
car+house burglary,pickpocketing,normal theft,you know.Then there is the matter of car hijackings-which is serious,because if the victim is white,he
may be shot,so its best,especially at night,to do your driving before it gets too late and the roads are more deserted.He should stick with people he
knows,or at least,is safe with,and not go off by himself,specially at night.Better to go out accompanied by at least one reliable local,or if he's
with fellow Americans,go everywhere in groups of at least 2,not alone.If he was coming to Mpumalanga province,the hubby and i could've invited him
over for a traditional South African bbq:-)

So if hes white, he should be ok, he will only be shot, but if he is black, then he is in the wrong part of the country, and would be the wrong tribe
(most African slaves were from East Africa)...so he will be shot, stabbed, cut up in pieces, raped, then eaten for his soul....think District 9
movie....
Of course we dont want to alarm you............Are you coming too?.....

Interesting OP. The only real threat to US soil coming from that region I could see would involve coercion (either through threats to family or major
payout of money in a region where money is scarce) to drum up a visitor to the US to carry out some manner of attack. Otherwise, I suppose you're
pretty close to an area with some significant piracy issues threatening virtually any ship traffic. Hmmm... not really an area I'd consider a huge
threat to the US, actually.

yeah yeah, the us govt should totally probably send an immediate force to a variety of southern african countries. after all - the local gang lords
and corrupt rulers are getting all the benefit of exploiting the people and selling the natural resources for their own gain.
those multinational corporations are missing out big time - it really is about time something was done about that, and the blood of patriotic us
soldiers is totally the way to right this wrong.

Born in Zambia, moved to S.A after war and then to Namibia where I have lived for very close to 44 years and I think this thread should be dead!

ETA. ps. Zambia is also in Southern Africa

edit on 5/2/13 by wiser3 because: to add!

I would also just like to ask the OP one thing! What on earth makes you think that there is a single country in Africa that isn't under complete
scrutiny, all the time, from all over the western world! You would for sure hear about it if there was a whiff of anything that threatened the
security of the USA coming from Southern Africa!

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